Freedom of Information Publication Scheme

About our publication scheme

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) requires the Council to provide a publication scheme, which is a guide to the information routinely made to the public. 

Our publication scheme has been approved by the Information Commissioner who is responsible for promoting good practice and ensuring compliance with Freedom of Information (FOI) and data protection laws. More information can be found on the Information Commissioner's Office website.

Please note: Not all information the council publishes is detailed in the publication scheme. You can make an FOI request for any information that is not routinely published with some exemptions. For more details or to make a request please see our Freedom of Information request page.  

Publication Scheme

This publication scheme commits us to regularly publish information that helps explain how we work and how we spend money. It commits us to:

• Proactively publish or otherwise make available as a matter of routine, information, including environmental information, which is held by the authority and falls within the classifications below.
• Specify the information which is held by the authority and falls within the classifications below
• Proactively publish or otherwise make available as a matter of routine, information in line with statements contained within this scheme
• Produce and publish the methods by which the specific information is made routinely available so that it can be easily identified and accessed by members of the public
• Review and update on a regular basis the information the authority makes available under this scheme
• Produce a schedule of any fees charged for access to information which is made proactively available
• Make the publication scheme available to the public
• Publish any dataset held by the authority that has been requested, and any updated versions it holds, unless the authority is satisfied that it is not appropriate to do so; to publish the dataset, where reasonably practicable, in an electronic form that is capable of re-use; and any information in the dataset is a relevant copyright work and the public authority is the only owner, to make the information available for re-use under the terms of the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015, if they apply, and otherwise under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act section 19.

The term ‘dataset’ is defined in section 11(5) of the Freedom of Information Act. The term ‘relevant copyright work’ is defined in section 19(8) of that Act

Classes of Information

Our publication scheme sets out the types of information we publish. Most of the information is available on this website and can be found using the search facility.

If you can’t find what you are looking for then please see our Freedom of Information request page.  

Who we are and what we do

Organisational information, locations and contacts, constitutional and legal governance, such as

• Council's Constitution: how the Council operates, how decisions are made and the procedures which are followed to ensure that these are efficient, transparent and accountable to local people.
• Councillors and MPs
• Elections
• Senior Management Team
• Committees
• How to contact us and where to find us

What we spend and how we spend it

Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, tendering, procurement, and contracts

• Accounts and Audit
• Open Data (Transparency) and Members' allowances
• Contracts Register
• Pay scales and Pay Policy Statement

What our priorities are and how we are doing it

Strategy and performance information, plans, assessments, inspections and reviews

• Business Plan 2022-23
• Performance Report 2020-21
• Housing Performance 2020-21
• Activity and Wellbeing hub

How we make decisions

Policy proposals and decisions. Decision making processes, procedures and consultation

• The Constitution is divided into sections which set out the basic rules governing the Council's business. It sets out who has the power to take which decisions, how these decisions are taken and the Codes and Protocols that are followed when we make decisions.
• Forward Plan
• Have your say
• Minutes, agendas and reports
• Decisions
• Consultations (Have your say)

Our policies and procedures

Current written protocols for delivering our functions and responsibilities

• Data Protection, Freedom of Information, Environmental Information Regulation
• Housing policy and development
• Planning Policy
• Equality and diversity
• Complaints

Lists and registers

Information held in registers required by law and other lists and registers relating to the functions of the authority. Registers include:

• Food business register
• Animal Star Rating register 
• Housing register (through HomeChoice)
• Cooling Tower register
• Licensing register
• Planning register
• Contracts register
• HMO register
• Public health funerals

The services we offer

Advice and guidance, booklets and leaflets, transactions and media releases. A description of the services offered.

• The classes of information will not generally include:
• Information the disclosure of which is prevented by law, or exempt under the Freedom of Information Act, or is otherwise properly considered to be protected from disclosure.
• Information in draft form
• Information that is no longer readily available as it is contained in files that have been placed in archive storage or is difficult to access for similar reasons

The method by which information published under this
scheme will be made available

The authority will indicate clearly to the public what information is covered by this scheme and how it can be obtained. Where it is within the capability of a public authority, information will be provided on a website. Where it is impracticable to make information available on a website or when an individual does not wish to access the information by the website, a public authority will indicate how information can be obtained by other means and provide it by those means. In exceptional circumstances some information may be available only by viewing in person. Where this manner is specified, contact details will be provided.

An appointment to view the information will be arranged within a reasonable timescale. Information will be provided in the language in which it is held or in such other language that is legally required. Where an authority is legally required to translate any information, it will do so.

Obligations under disability and discrimination legislation and any other legislation to provide information in other forms and formats will be adhered to when providing information in accordance with this scheme.

Charges which may be made for information published
under this scheme

The purpose of this scheme is to make the maximum amount of information readily available at minimum inconvenience and cost to the public. Charges made by the authority for routinely published material will be justified and transparent and kept to a minimum.

Material which is published and accessed on a website will be provided free of charge. Charges may be made for information subject to a charging regime specified by Parliament.

Charges may be made for actual disbursements incurred such as:

• photocopying
• postage and packaging
• the costs directly incurred as a result of viewing information

Charges may also be made for information provided under this scheme where they are legally authorised, they are in all the circumstances, including the general principles of the right of access to information held by public authorities, justified and are in accordance with a published schedule or schedules of fees which is readily available to the public.

Charges may also be made for making datasets (or parts of datasets) that are relevant copyright works available for re-use. These charges will be in accordance wit the terms of the Re-use of public Sector Information Regulations 2015, where they apply, or with regulations made under section 11Bof the Freedom of Information Act, or with other statutory powers of the public authority.

 If a charge is to be made, confirmation of the payment due will be given before the information is provided. Payment may be requested prior to provision of the information.

Written requests

Information held by a public authority that is not published under this scheme can be requested in writing, when its provision will be considered in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act or the Environmental information Regulations.

Contact and feedback

Any feedback you provide will be used in our reviews to make improvements to our publication scheme. For any assistance to make comments or complaints, please contact the Information Governance Team (FOI);

by email: informationgovernance@cherwell-dc.gov.uk

By post to Information Governance Team, Cherwell District Council
Bodicote House, Bodicote, Banbury, Oxforshire, OX15 4AA

By post to Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wimslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Further information about the publication scheme and the Freedom of Information Act can be obtained from the Information Commissioner's website.

If you need any information listed in the publication scheme in large print, audio tape, in another language or format, or if you need assistance, please contact the Information Governance Team.